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The branded =: Uchalya
Considered a masterpiece in Marathi literature, his novel for the first time brings to the world of literature the trials and tribulations of his tribe, Uchalya, literally the pilferers, a term coined by the British who classified the tribe as a criminal tribe. This book also brings in the problems faced by the Dalits in India.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
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About the author
Laxman Gaikwad
15 books10 followersBorn on July 23, 1956 in Dhanegaon, Latur District, Maharashtra, Laxman Maruti Gaikwad gained international recognition with the 1998 publication of The Branded, a translation of his autobiographical novel, Ucalya. Considered a masterpiece, his novel for the first time brings to the world of literature the trials and tribulations of his tribe, Uchalya, literally the pilferers, a term coined by the British who classified the tribe as a criminal tribe. His treatment of the Dalit theme, in which his own delicate subjectivity is a part, is widely acclaimed for its masterful sensitivity and supreme craftsmanship. He depicts in all their subtlety and poignancy the inner feelings, sufferings and emotional complexities of a tribe historically viewed as criminals.
He has been the President of Jankalyan Vikas Sanstha since 1986, and of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes Organization since 1990. He has received many prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1988.
He has four books to his credit. His work Ucalya has been translated into many languages.
He has been the President of Jankalyan Vikas Sanstha since 1986, and of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes Organization since 1990. He has received many prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1988.
He has four books to his credit. His work Ucalya has been translated into many languages.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 8, 2013
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Book Review: The Branded (Uchalya): A First Hand Experience Of A Criminal Tribe Uchalya
The Branded (Uchalya) written by Laxman Gaikwad is originally written in Marathi that was later translated to English for getting the message conveyed to a larger audience. Uchalya is an autobiographical novel that carries the memories of Laxman Gaikwad right from his childhood till he became an adult. Laxman Gaikwad took birth in a criminal tribe of India belonging to Orissa/ Maharashtra. This tribe named as Uchalya was labelled as criminal tribe by British under the Tribal Act of India.
People belonging to Uchalya lived in their own world with their own systems. Their major trade was looting and theft. They had their own internal groups divided and a newborn kid was handed over or sold to one of these groups to groom as a perfect thief. They had literally no living standards. Laxman remembers his childhood days in this book as carrying a small piece of cloth that he used as his bed on bare land. Nearby cattle urinating in the night used to flow the liquid to this cloth being used as bed. when this urine used to wet the cloth or kid's body, it used to give him a warmth. And that was only a relief point for those kids during the winter season. They had no cemented building or roads. They used to move from one place to another for land, food, trade, small kind of jobs etc.
The tribe often used to get visits of police in search of stolen gold, and other valuable items. Laxman was the only child in tribe who got admitted in a school nearby. He remembers his embarrassing days there when he was the only child in the class from a low caste or tribe and rest of the students used to make fun of him. Not only in school but the same happened to him within his tribe also where his family was scolded to break this trend of years of not sending any child to school. There was no regular washing of clothes in this tribe. Their clothes were used to be washed once in many months only when they used to get a chance to go near a river. Otherwise Laxman used to put his piece of cloth that he used to sleep on, on the roof of his hut everyday morning after waking up.
This tribe had no cleaning mechanism or structured homes. Their open space was utilized for multiple tasks at the same time. On one hand where some people used to cook food, on the other hand the same space was used for wasteful activities.
Uchalya got Sahitya Academy Award in Marathi in 1988 and is also winner of National Award.
Book Review: The Branded (Uchalya): A First Hand Experience Of A Criminal Tribe Uchalya
The Branded (Uchalya) written by Laxman Gaikwad is originally written in Marathi that was later translated to English for getting the message conveyed to a larger audience. Uchalya is an autobiographical novel that carries the memories of Laxman Gaikwad right from his childhood till he became an adult. Laxman Gaikwad took birth in a criminal tribe of India belonging to Orissa/ Maharashtra. This tribe named as Uchalya was labelled as criminal tribe by British under the Tribal Act of India.
People belonging to Uchalya lived in their own world with their own systems. Their major trade was looting and theft. They had their own internal groups divided and a newborn kid was handed over or sold to one of these groups to groom as a perfect thief. They had literally no living standards. Laxman remembers his childhood days in this book as carrying a small piece of cloth that he used as his bed on bare land. Nearby cattle urinating in the night used to flow the liquid to this cloth being used as bed. when this urine used to wet the cloth or kid's body, it used to give him a warmth. And that was only a relief point for those kids during the winter season. They had no cemented building or roads. They used to move from one place to another for land, food, trade, small kind of jobs etc.
The tribe often used to get visits of police in search of stolen gold, and other valuable items. Laxman was the only child in tribe who got admitted in a school nearby. He remembers his embarrassing days there when he was the only child in the class from a low caste or tribe and rest of the students used to make fun of him. Not only in school but the same happened to him within his tribe also where his family was scolded to break this trend of years of not sending any child to school. There was no regular washing of clothes in this tribe. Their clothes were used to be washed once in many months only when they used to get a chance to go near a river. Otherwise Laxman used to put his piece of cloth that he used to sleep on, on the roof of his hut everyday morning after waking up.
This tribe had no cleaning mechanism or structured homes. Their open space was utilized for multiple tasks at the same time. On one hand where some people used to cook food, on the other hand the same space was used for wasteful activities.
Uchalya got Sahitya Academy Award in Marathi in 1988 and is also winner of National Award.
March 26, 2013
A harrowing autobiography detailing the author's trials as he is born in a caste branded as a thieving caste - a tribe who sustained themselves by theft - true to quite an extent - but Shri Gaikwad wanted a better life.
But the staggering force of a rigid society wouldn't let him do it - social pressures from his own community, the desperate need for a bread-winner, the author's quiet desperation to escape the depressing life and lead a better one far from the oppressions of upper-castes - these make us re-evaluate the grand narrative of the kind, multi-cultural, peaceful India that is often showcased.
A wonderful read. Despite it's simplistic language with little literary merit, it is a book that does not require literary embellishment to capture the reader's attention and leave him/her thinking deeply long after the book is finished.
But the staggering force of a rigid society wouldn't let him do it - social pressures from his own community, the desperate need for a bread-winner, the author's quiet desperation to escape the depressing life and lead a better one far from the oppressions of upper-castes - these make us re-evaluate the grand narrative of the kind, multi-cultural, peaceful India that is often showcased.
A wonderful read. Despite it's simplistic language with little literary merit, it is a book that does not require literary embellishment to capture the reader's attention and leave him/her thinking deeply long after the book is finished.
February 13, 2023
उचल्या हे लेखकाचे आत्मचरित्र आहे. उचल्या म्हणजे चोरटे, भामटे.. त्यांच चोरी करणे, खिसेकापू ह्या सवयीमुळेच त्यांचा जातीलाच नाव उचल्या पडलं. त्यांचे लहानपण अश्या घरात गेले ज्याचा चारी बाजूला गावातील बाकी जातीची लोक त्यांचे प्रातर्विधी उरकण्यास येत. लेखकाच्या घरात चोरी कशी करावी ह्याचे धडे दिले जात आणि सध्या आपल्याकडे जसे camp असतात तसच मुले मोठी झाली की शाळेऐवजी ह्या टोळ्यांमध्ये (camp) चोरी शिकायला जात आणि ती नीट शिकेपर्यंत मार खात. तरीपण लेखकाच्या वडिलांना शिक्षणाचे महत्त्व कळल्याने व त्यांचा हट्टामुळे लेखक शाळेत जाऊ लागला आणि मग त्याप्रमाणे त्यांची जडणघडण होत गेली.
मूळ पुस्तक मराठी मध्ये आहे पण प्रमाण भाषेत नाही त्यामुळे वाचनास मध्ये मध्ये कंटाळा येऊ शकतो.
मूळ पुस्तक मराठी मध्ये आहे पण प्रमाण भाषेत नाही त्यामुळे वाचनास मध्ये मध्ये कंटाळा येऊ शकतो.
May 21, 2021
This is an autobiography of the oppressed. The man, and the community he belongs to.
This book is nothing but pain. Begins with a strand of reality that keeps making you think that there is hope but constantly keeps it away. That is exactly how the oppressed live in the societies.
Let's recognise our privilege, remain grateful, and help the needy in any way that we can, which is the VERY LEAST we could do.
(Full review to follow)
This book is nothing but pain. Begins with a strand of reality that keeps making you think that there is hope but constantly keeps it away. That is exactly how the oppressed live in the societies.
Let's recognise our privilege, remain grateful, and help the needy in any way that we can, which is the VERY LEAST we could do.
(Full review to follow)
November 10, 2018
Laxman Gaikwad narrates his community's plight and his personal experiences being a part of the "branded" community. The autobiography translated in English from Marathi by P. A. Kolkarkar describe how the tribes left as an outcast on the fringes- deprived of education, dignity and freedom. Tribal communities lost their legitimate means of livelihood. They were denied stable jobs. The only alternative left to them for survival was thieving and looting.
The book speaks about the social standing of different communities before the independence period and the atrocities among the poor people. The only flaw is the repetition of thoughts and ideas in the translated book, which takes away from the literary quality. The translator's note does argue that some of this may have been necessary to retain the "original flavour" of the story.
The book speaks about the social standing of different communities before the independence period and the atrocities among the poor people. The only flaw is the repetition of thoughts and ideas in the translated book, which takes away from the literary quality. The translator's note does argue that some of this may have been necessary to retain the "original flavour" of the story.
October 1, 2018
Thieve tribe from british era, it's way of life. What changes made to their life after independence ? Or Britishers were good ? Are these people really got any benefit after independence ? This book tries to answer all these issues, cast politics, why these people relying on crime ? Etc. It's a good book to study one such social issue.
May 11, 2019
एकदम छान पुस्तक आहे। उच्च जाती च्या लोकांनी गावा गावात जी वागणूक दिली तसेच पोलिस कसे भ्रष्टाचार करतात ते बघून आपण महाराष्ट्रात आहो की जंगल राज मध्ये असाच प्रश्न पडतो।
True story. An eye opener to the high society.
Good book and auto bio graphy well said by laxman Gaikwad.
True story. An eye opener to the high society.
Good book and auto bio graphy well said by laxman Gaikwad.
April 19, 2020
निशब्द
फार सुंदर, दुखितांचे, शोषितांचे, पीडितांची दुःख जनसामान्यांपर्यंत पोहचवण्यासाठी या विषयावर एक चांगला चित्रपट होऊ शकतो.....आजची पिढी असले पुस्तकं वाचत नाही, पण चित्रपटाद्वारे वंचितांचे कष्ट त्यांच्यापर्यंत पोहचू शकतात....
फार सुंदर, दुखितांचे, शोषितांचे, पीडितांची दुःख जनसामान्यांपर्यंत पोहचवण्यासाठी या विषयावर एक चांगला चित्रपट होऊ शकतो.....आजची पिढी असले पुस्तकं वाचत नाही, पण चित्रपटाद्वारे वंचितांचे कष्ट त्यांच्यापर्यंत पोहचू शकतात....
February 2, 2021
‘उचल्या’ ही लेखकाची सुन्न करणारी, पदोपदी अंगावर शहारे आणणारी कहाणी आहे, वास्तवाची जाण करून देणारे जळजळीत लिखाण आहे. भारतातील ज्या बहुतांश लोकांना वाटतं की आरक्षण ही भीक आहे आणि त्याची सांप्रत काळात काहीही गरज नाही तिथे असले पुस्तक त्यांच्यासाठी एक सणसणीत चपकार आहे.
May 21, 2019
Badly written but a story that must be told and read
June 17, 2019
Raw. Perfect. Gives you an experience. A ride of your life. The best Dalit Autobiography I've ever read till date.
February 7, 2023
Among the most raw and difficult readings I've had. Gut-wretching description of the pangs of Dalits for which in a way we all are responsible.
March 26, 2016
The book starts off in humour and then moves into very serious issue that India still faces. With the cry for Marathwada going loud, this book seems still very significant. The welfare state that Indiaclaims to be, has had its issues. The book questions not only Police and state action and their role in stopping people from certain castes and tribes from finding their ground. It also makes one realise how the urban folks just don't understand the significance of reservation system that had been brought in.
July 15, 2011
it is an autobiography of a man, laxman gaikwad belonging to a community which was nominated as criminal under the criminal tribes' act by british government in India. originally written in marathi, it shows the hardships faced by a boy born in a criminal tribe.
October 5, 2012
The revaluation of UCHALIYA people who are belongs to Orissa, India.
The man Laxman Gaikwad is write his biography. This biography shows
pain and how he come out from behavior of UCHALIYA people, who are
decide as culprit by birth in UCHALIYA.
May 6, 2011
it is a good book. and more importently, such books should be written....
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December 17, 2018Good book
July 31, 2022
एक दलित लेखक की मार्मिक आत्मकथा।
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews